T'kel
T’kels have long been seen as savages, monsters that plagued wilderness communities for countless years. When times grew tough, t’kels raided nearby villages and towns in search of food. This savagery gave them a fierce reputation they struggle to overcome to this day. However, over the last century, t’kels have gradually shifted from a hunter-gatherer society to an agricultural one. They are blooming into a diverse society based on the philosophies of their current leader. T’kels follow a philosopher-king named Zuras, who led his people from what he calls “the serpent’s coils”. Many years ago, Zuras claimed to have been hunting an elven cadre of rangers when he a “nature spirit” stopped him. This adu’ja sat Zuras down to tell him of the error of t’kel ways. They sat for fourteen days, and the adu’ja revealed to Zuras the secrets of natural harmony. Zuras took these secrets back to his people. Now the t’kels are rejecting their barbaric ways in order to live as one with nature. This has not tamed t’kel ferocity, though, only channeled it into less destructive endeavors. They live in teeming, shallow tunnels below the verdant forests they now tend. They farm a variety of plants that they use for their medicines and produce rare spices and incenses that they trade to humans who have learned to trust them. Many t’kels practice meditation, channeling their aggressive natures into the martial arts. Within the last century, human monks have lived among t’kels to learn their way. T’kel monks form a top-level caste among their society, serving as teachers and advisors. One of the few traditions that has survived the t’kels’ transformation from hunters and plunders into monks and ascetics is the wearing of masks. T’kel masks represent many things in their society, and the shape, style and color of a mask identifies the wearer’s status and occupation to every other t’kel who sees it. Other races, long impressed by the beauty of such masks, have tried and failed to learn their secrets. Living t’kels never remove their masks where non-t’kels might see their faces, as they feel their faces are a representation of their souls, and their most secret desires. Personality: The t’kels exhibit a distinctly reptilian attitude. Their sense of humor is subtle and difficult to draw out. They loathe displays of waste or wanton destruction and seek to pacify (with lethal force, if necessary) anything that they feel threatens the natural order. They are quite taken with the concept of honor, and despite their former reputations, they are unwilling to break oaths. T’kels are not particularly intelligent, but their cunning usually surprises those who travel with them. In battle, t’kels can give in to their feral sides in a way that is terrible to behold. Among t’kels, it is considered shameful to act in such a way. A t’kel who has succumbed to such behavior will often leave t’kel society voluntarily, in order to avoid injuring anyone else. Physical Description: T’kels dress in decorative robes or armor, with elaborate facemasks of beaten metal highlighted with brightly painted colors. The rarer the metal, the higher in rank its wearer. Different colors and patterns of paint signify a t’kel’s occupation. Beneath their masks and robes, their skin is covered with tan to chocolate colored beaded scales. They have belly and back patterns in brilliant colors ranging from aquamarine and indigo to burnt umber and saffron, and they have more pronounced, pointed scales on their brows and jaws. They do not have teeth, but rather they have white bony ridges that look like a line of teeth without separation. T’kel hands and feet are clawed. Both females and males often paint their claws bright colors. T’kel height difference between genders is quite noticeable, with the smaller males standing 5 to 5-1/2 feet tall, and females often reaching over 7 feet. Despite their smaller size, male t’kels have dense muscles, weighing as much as their female counterparts, and are just as strong. Relations: While races who do not live near t’kels might speak of them as little better than orcs, those who call them neighbor couldn’t speak more highly of them. Most t’kels today are more interested in discussing farming techniques or weather trends than in spoiling for a fight. However, if someone were to start a fight with a t’kel, the t’kel would oblige. T’kels enjoy living as part of their environment. They now help the wilder lands thrive, where once they pillaged the land for anything that could sustain them. T’kels are quickly building the reputation of their culture, and have proven remarkably adept at common crafts. Their artwork fetches good prices in large cities, as well as the attention of serious collectors. In addition, they are excellent weavers, producing a material called sh’ematta that has brilliant colors and a soft texture. Alignment: T’kels usually have some amount of Neutrality in their alignment. Most t’kels are Lawful and ardent practitioners of their philosophy; otherwise they lean towards Neutral Good. Few t’kels are ever Chaotic. Religion: Since the coming of Zuras, t’kels practice nature worship. They have become one of the true success stories of the adu’jas, with whom Zuras communed for those two weeks. Language: T’kels speak Draconic as their natural tongue. As they have become more civilized, they have adapted the Draconic script to write out their philosophies and beliefs. Many have learned to speak and read Common, Elven and Sylvan, so they may interact peacefully with their neighbors. They speak with a gentle hiss that other races find soothing and relaxing, and many have been pressed into giving impromptu speeches just for the way they speak. Names: T’kel male names are always two or three syllables, and female names are always three or four. Male: Adunar, Banwei, Golos, Mur’rkantos, Yallikbei, Zuras Female: Aa’mazmarum, Atanari, Ecu’mazin, Gengliet, Ma’arkaset Adventurers: T’kels are able adventurers. They are inquisitive about outside cultures and seek the wisdom those cultures have to offer. As their small culture continues to grow, it takes on small aspects of others that adventuring t’kels have encountered and subsequently written about. They are in a strange place between the worlds of their savage ancestry and their new, more civilized culture. As such, t’kels make superb monks and fighters and are well suited to being rangers. T’kels take great pride in their own culture, and few t’kels are open-minded enough to take jibes about their base beginnings. T’kel Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence Size: Medium Speed: 30ft, Swim 20ft Special Qualities Monstrous Humanoid Natural Attacks: two Claw attacks dealing 1D4 + Str modifier damage Darkvision 60ft Favored Class: Monk Level Adjustment: +0 Category:Monstrous humanoids